Director Paul King creates an idyllic chocolate cartel in this brand new instalment in the Wonka-verse that is busting with originality and utilises just enough of the formula that made the previous two films successful to feel part of the same universe still, but offering something utterly fresh for fans of the old films to enjoy, while bringing some new ones along for the ride. Gone is the crazy and dark Gene Wilder character, Johnny Depp’s slightly more disturbing Michael Jackson persona is not even hinted at, as Timothée Chalamet makes Wonka his own in a true origin story that puts a 25 year-old Willy Wonka finding his way in the world and how the chocolate factory and the Wonka brand came to be. It is all done with an open slather of colour and a sense of whimsy; it is a shame that the musical aspect of the film is the weakest link. That aside, Wonka serves as the third feather in the cap for King and is destined to become a holiday hit.
Willy Wonka (Timothée Chalamet) arrives in London with no money in his pocket, looking for a shop to rent to sell his chocolate. When he struggles to find somewhere to sleep, he is invited into a shared house hotel that gives him 24 hours to pay for the room he stayed in. Regrettably, Willy’s illiteracy stops him from reading the fine print, and he finds himself indebted to Mrs Scrubbit (Olivia Coleman), for 10,000 days, where he is watched over by her henchman, Bleacher (Tom Davis). Wonka meets fellow prisoners, an eclectic group who essentially look after the cleaning at the hotel. Wonka forms a close attachment to a young orphan girl named Noodle (Calah Lane) who was abandoned at birth down Mrs Scrubbit’s laundry chute.
Unable to be confined to this prison, Wonka finds a way to invent a machine for the guard dog to perform laundry duties, while he is smuggled out of the hotel and into the town square to sell his chocolate. To make things more complicated, the town is currently held to ransom by three other chocolate makers, Slugworth (Paterson Joseph), Prodnose (Matt Lucas) and Fickelgruber (Mathew Boynton), who are in cahoots with the chief of police (Keegan Michael-Key), who they can easily control with their sweet treats. They agree to have Wonka run out of town as to not disturb their chocolate sales. If that wasn’t enough, a young Oompa Loompa (Hugh Grant) is on Wonka’s heels, stealing his chocolate treats every chance he gets.
Part of what makes this work so well is Chalamet’s performance. We are used to seeing unhinged and wild versions of this character, here Willy is played as a young and positive character with charm and magic that is incredibly infectious to the world around him. There are definite hints of Gene Wilder’s version when he starts actually making chocolate from his briefcase, and his mixed up rhymes like “Quiet up and listen down. Nope. Scratch that. Reverse it.” It’s all very fitting and a great nod to this version of the character. Fortunately Chalamet’s Wonka is positive, vibrant and fully embraces the magic of the world and the role that chocolate has in that. The other clear star of this film is Lane, who not only has impeccable chemistry with Chalamet she also has an incredible screen presence in her own right, and her journey to find her parents and buy into Wonka’s positivity in her world surrounded by hopelessness is such a joy to watch. Hugh Grant is relishing in his oddity phase of his career, and provides an entertaining performance as a Oompa Loompa. His grumpy view on life and openness to throw shade to Wonka any chance he gets, is the perfect antidote for the syrupy sweet moments in this movie.
It is worth noting that Wonka is a musical at heart, with plenty of original songs and some familiar tunes from the first film that may sound familiar to fans. Regrettably the new songs are completely forgettable, there is no real theme song or memorable bangers that you will be rushing out to listen to again. They do serve to move the plot along and it does do this successfully, it just isn’t anything spectacular and feels like the weakest part of the movie.
Wonka is an incredibly sweet and endearing film that is expertly guided by director Paul King. With some fantastic performances from its cast and a beautiful message that is arriving just in time for the holiday season, it’s a film that can be enjoyed by anyone in the family, and is destined to become a holiday classic. This could have easily been a forgettable nostalgic cash-in, an alternative look at who Wonka was when he first set out into the world to change the confectionery business to near perfection. Chalamet embraces the character and puts a positive twist that allows for the darker moments in this film to be elevated by his view on the world. Wonka has all the right ingredients to create the perfect holiday treat.
Wonka is showing in cinemas December 14.
